As Earth warms, and climate change brings higher temperatures and lengthier droughts, forest fires are happening more often and raging with greater intensity. It is horrifying to see the destruction wrought by these fires, and it is also somewhat miraculous to see how some animals survive.
Enter wombat, a creature that only lives in Australia. Wombat’s “mostly true” story was inspired by on-the-ground reports of how animals sheltered in wombat burrows, a creature that usually lives alone, during recent fires in parts of that fairly dry continent.
I enjoyed how the story is framed as a TV news event, with a reporter interviewing wombat about the experience after the fact. As wombat relives the fire in the report, the reader can feel the sense of urgency while knowing that wombat survived to tell the story, along with its “sudden” friends. This offers a gentle, reader-friendly experience for the picture book crowd.
And I love how the underlying theme of the story is about helping others when they’re in distress, even if they’re people you don’t know. A high form of empathy!
Kudos to the author and illustrator for creating a story that could be very scary into one that helps develop empathy and compassion for others. The illustrations make it pretty darn cuddly.
Back matter describes the animals that live only in Australia and briefly explains why that’s the case. It also provides facts about forest fires and how readers can help prevent them.
Activities:
Make an origami wombat, kangaroo, or emu.
Pair this book with The Red Jacket by Bob Holt (2023) a book that speaks to a different kind of empathy, where helping someone in “need” is achieved through both a psychological and physical pathway. Discuss the similarities and differences.
For classroom or individual project: Make a list of different ways you can be kind to others. Do something every day from that list, and encourage your friends to do the same.
Title: An Accidental Hero: A Mostly True Wombat Story
Author: Laura Roettiger
Illustrator: Debbie Palen
Publisher: Eifrig Publishing, 2024
Ages: 4-8
Themes: kindness, empathy, Australian animals
For more perfect picture book recommendations, please visit Susanna Hill’s website.